Coating apparatus



1965 HISAYOSHI KUBODERA 3,209,724

COATING APPARATUS Filed March 6, 1963 United States Patent 0 3,209,724COATING ALPARATUS Hisayoshi Kubodera, 1-4 Shiharnitalroun-eho,Minatodru, 'liohymto, Japan Filed Mar. 6, 1963, er. No. 263,310 Claimspriority, application Japan, Mar, 7, I962, 37/3,Z32 2 Claims. (Cl,118-124) This invention relates to an apparatus for the continuoushomogeneous application of permeating or impregnating fluids tomaterials from the outer surfaces to the interiors thereof. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to an apparaus for the dispersing offluids in the form of a gel, sol or colloid such as solutions ofsynthetic resins, rubber, and similar substances into fibrous materialssuch as papers and fabrics in long sheet stock sizes.

Briefly stated, the invention contemplates an arrangement whereby onesurface of a fibrous material is moved in sliding contact with a fixedslide surface and a solution to be dispersed through the material isdischarged from the interior of said slide surface through one or morenarrow slits or a large number of small holes and caused to penetratethrough the fibrous material, flowing out of the opposite surfacethereof. Accordingly, the solution is dispersed homogeneously into allparts of the interior of the fibrous material. Process dependent oncoating of both surfaces of the fibrous material and steeping insolution, can be accomplished readily and thoroughly by the apparatus ofthis invention.

In recent years, all kinds of synthetic resins and similar substanceshave become numerous, and the field of processes involving theapplication of solutions of these materials or materials such as papersand fabrics has expanded. However, the solutions formed by dissolvingthese synthetic resins and like materials in solvents are, for the mostpart, in the form of gel, sol, or colloid solutions. Consequently, whena fibrous material is steeped in such a dispersoidal solution, thesolvent penetrates rapidly in advance even to the parts of the fibrousmaterial which have not yet reached the liquid surface of the steepingliquid and occupies the spaces between the fibers. As a result, thesolute cannot permeate into the central part of the fibrous materialwith the same concentration as the original solution. This phenomenon isnot limited to solutions of synthetic resins and like substances butalso occurs in the case of various kinds of gel, sol, and colloidliquids. Moreover, it occurs also in the case when the solvent is water.

As a specific example, in the case when a laminated plate material ofphenolic resin is to be made, alcohol or a similar liquid is generallyused for the solvent of this resin. By conventional methods, however,since the resulting solution is in the form of a gel, sol, or colloidsolution, the concentration of the solute, that is, the phenol resinwithin the impregnated paper or fabric, is not uniform, being lower inthe central part than at both outer surfaces of the paper or fabricbecause of the prior penetration of the solvent. Consequently, thesurface of a laminated plate produced by these conventional methods hasa laminar structure of high and low concentrations of the solute, andthe product unavoidably lacks homogeneity. Accordingly, products ofexcellent properties such as high strength cannot be obtained by theseconventional methods.

In addition, in order to cause a sufiicient quantity of the solute topenetrate into the interior of the paper or fabric materials, it isconventional to compress said materials, after being steeped in asolution of high concentration, under a large force by means of squeezerolls etc. Such method is also deficient in that they cannot produceproducts with complete homogeneity of material from surface to interior.Moreover, such conventional methods involve steps which are not easy,and the products produced thereby exhibit non-uniformity even whenelastic rolls such as rubber rolls are used for compression.Accordingly, by these methods, uniform permeative application of thesolute is impossible, and these methods cannot be applied particularlyto thin paper and other similar materials.

However, the present invention, differing from the conventional methodsuch as that wherein a traveling sheet of a long fibrous material ismerely steeped in the solution in the traveling path thereof or thatwherein the solution is applied onto both surfaces of the material,comprises causing the fibrous material to travel in such a manner thatone surface of the material is made to slide along a fixed slidesurface, discharging a solution from the interior side of the said slidesurface through one or more narrow slits or a large number of smallholes provided in the said slide surface, and thereby causing thissolution to pass through the entire body of the fibrous material fromone surface to the opposite surface thereof in such a manner that thesolution in its original state, without any change whatsoever in itsconcentration, is caused to fill and remain in all spaces between thefibers. As necessary, both surfaces of the material so treated arerendered uniformly coated by means such as scraping rolls, and surplussolution is removed. Accordingly, it is possible, thereby, to accomplishpermeative application of the solution with extreme uniformity from bothsurfaces of the fibrous material to the interior central part thereof.

The nature, principle, and details of the invention will be more clearlyapparent by reference to the following description of one embodiment ofthe invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing inwhich like parts are designated by like reference characters, and inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is an end elevational view, in section, showing the essentialparts of the embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention;

FIGURE 1a shows a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 but with aslight modification; and

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view, in section, of the apparatus shownin FIGURE 1.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the principal part of the apparatus is a solutionapplication box 1 having, at its lower outer surface, a slide surface 2of a form constituting a part of a cylinder. The solution applicationbox 1 is of sufiicient length to fully accommodate the width of thefibrous material A to be treated, and the slide surface 2 is providedwith narrow slits 3 extending across the transverse distance of theregion to contact the entire width of the material A. In some cases,these narrow slits may be substituted by a large number of small holes.The interior of the solution application box 1 is partitioned by aslightly inclined shelf plate 4 into an upper solutionreceiving chamber5 and a lower solution application chamber 6. The shelf plate 4 isprovided at its lower edge, over its entire length, with a row ofsolution distribution holes 7. The solution application box 1 is furtherprovided with solution supply piping 8 for supplying the solution to thesolution-receiving chamber 5 and overflow pipes 9 and 13 for removingsurplus solution from the chambers 5 and 6, respectively. The apparatusis further provided with a catch pan 10 disposed below the solutionapplication box 1 and extending over the entire length of the said boxin the transverse direction and rolls 11 and 12 disposed to contact thetwo surfaces of the material A as it travels away from the slide surface2.

The apparatus of the present invention of the abovedescribedconstruction has the following operation. The fibrous material A in along sheet form is caused by a suitable driving device to travelcontinuously with one surface thereof sliding in contact with the slidesurface 2, said driving device consisting of for example, a drum 15 onwhich said material A is wound, a driving motor (not shown) for drivingthe shaft 16 of said drum, and guide rollers 14 of a suitable number. Onone hand, the solution to be applied is supplied through the piping 8into the solution-receiving chamber 5 and, temporarily collecting on theshelf plate 4, flows downwardly through the solution distribution holes7 into the solution application chamber 6 in a uniform manner over theentire length of the said chamber 6 in the transverse direction. Surplussolution in the chambers 5 and 6 are drained ofi? through the overflowpipes 9 and 13, respectively.

The solution which has flowed down into the chamber 6 temporarilycollects in this chamber and then is discharged downwardly through thenarrow slits 3, whereupon this solution enters the material A throughits nearest surface and, passing through the substance of the materialA, flows out from the far surface without any change in itsconcentration. During this process all spaces between the fibers withinthe body of the fibrous material, from the two surfaces to the centralpart, are filled with the solution which is of the same concentration asthe originally supplied solution, and surplus solution drops into thecatch pan 10. Surplus solution which could not be dropped off is spreadout by the rolls 11 and 12 evenly over the entire surface of thematerial A which has separated from the slide surface 2, and any surplussolution still remaining is removed by these rolls.

The material A to be discharged out of the apparatus is, for example,wound on a supply drum 18 and passes over a guide roller 7, said drumbeing driven by a driving motor (not shown). This motor may be used asthe driving motor of the drum 15.

The aforementioned overflow pipe 13 is provided at an intermediate partthereof with a deflectable pipe capable of being deflected freely to ahigh or low level, whereby the solution depth within the chamber 6 canbe regulated so as to regulate the flow rate of the solution dischargedto suit the material A being processed.

The fibrous materials which may be treated by the apparatus of thisinvention have different resistances to the passage of the solutiondepending on their kind, thickness, and other factors. Furthermore, thesolutions also vary in their degree of ease with which they can passthrough the material. However, since a meaningless discharge of a largequantity of the solution merely leads to wasteful cost, it is necessaryto regulate the flow rate to a appropriate value in each case. Theheight of the solution level is increased in accordance with thedifficulty with which the solution passes through the material, butsince the liquid pressure is thereby increased, if the material issimply pulled as indicated in the drawing, the material will adhere tothe slide surface and be unable to travel, or there will be the risk ofthe material being damaged because of its low strength with respect tothe liquid pressure. In such cases, a means such as a wire screencapable of traveling together with the material is adapted to pressagainst the material.

Furthermore, the apparatus according to the present invention can beadvantageously utilized also in the production of special fibrousproducts, such as non-woven sheets, for special uses as, for example, aproduct which requires an interior wherein the fibers are amply bondedwith a concentrated adhesive such as a synthetic resin or some otheradhesive material and, at the same time, is required to have an outersurface which is fluffy and soft or has high thermal insulatingproperty. That is, to a fibrous sheet formed by causing fibers to beintertwined, an adhesive is permeatively applied by means of theapparatus of this invention and caused to penetrate uniformly into allparts of the sheet, and then only the adhesive on the surface thereof isremoved by dissolving. As a result, a special product in which thefibers are firmly bonded in the interior, and the surface has onlyfibers and is soft is obtained.

Furthermore, the apparatus of the present invention can beadvantageously utilized in producing superior products or in developingoriginal products also in the application of solutions of gels, sols,and colloids of cosmetics, dyes, perfumes, insect repellents,fireproofing agents, and numerous other agents to fibrous products.

Although this invention has been described with respect to a particularembodiment thereof, it is not to be so limited as changes andmodifications can be made therein which are within the full intendedscope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for the continuous permeating application of liquids ingel, sol, and colloid form to elongated sheets of fibrous materialworkpieces, comprising in combination, an application station having anelongated hollow cylindrical body of more than sufficient length toaccommodate the Width of the workpiece to be treated, the lower portionof said body forming a fixed slide surface; a shelf plate partitionacross said cylinder, dividing it into an upper solution receivingchamber and a lower solution application chamber, said partition havingacross it entire length a flow of solution distribution holes; a supplypipe for supplying solution to said solution receiving chamber; overflowpipes for removing solution from said solution distribution and solutionapplication chambers; an elongated narrow slit located in said lowerbody portion at the slide surface thereof and extending across thelength of said body so as to contact said workpiece and so as to placesaid liquid in communication with said workpiece; guide roller meansabove said application station to guide the workpiece around said slidesurface in sliding contact therewith; pay-off and take-up means for saidworkpiece; and, squeeze rollers along the path of travel of saidworkpiece past said application station disposed to spread out theliquid evenly over said workpiece.

2. An apparatus for the continuous permeating application of liquids ingel, sol, and colloid form to elongated sheets of fibrous materialworkpieces, comprising in combination, an application station having anelongated hollow cylindrical body of more than sufficient length toaccommodate the width of the workpiece to be treated, the lower portionof said body forming a fixed slide surface; a shelf plate partitionacross said cylinder, dividing it into an upper solution receivingchamber and a lower solution application chamber, said partition havingacross its entire length a flow of solution distribution holes; a supplypipe for supplying solution to said solution receiving chamber; overflowpipes for removing solution from said solution distribution and solutionapplication chambers; a plurality of elongated narrow slits located insaid lower body portion at the slide surface thereof and extendingacross the length of said body so as to contact said workpiece and so asto place said liquid in communication with said workpiece; guide rollermeans above said appli- 5 cation station to guide the workpiece aroundsaid slide surface in sliding contact therewith; pay-01f and take-upmeans for said workpiece; and, squeeze rollers along the path of travelof said workpiece past said application station disposed to spread outthe liquid evenly over said workpiece.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 255,129 3/82Bancroft 118124X 6 Van Avermaete 118-410 Allen 118-415 X Bronander118-124 X Randall 118-410 Neidich 118-415 X CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, PrimaryExaminer.

J. B. SPENCER, RICHARD D. NEVIUS,

Examiners.

1. AN APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINOUS PERMEATING APPLICATION OF LIQUIDS INGEL, SOL, AND COLLOID FORM TO ELONGATED SHEETS OF FIBROUS MATERIALWORKPIECES, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, AN APPLICATION STATION HAVING ANELONGATED HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL BODY OF MORE THAN SUFFICIENT LENGTH TOACCOMMODATE THE WIDTH OF THE WORKPIECE TO BE TREATED, THE LOWER PORTIONOF SAID BODY FORMING A FIXED SLIDE SURFACE; A SHELF PLATE PARTITIONACROSS SAID CYLINDER, DIVIDING IT INTO AN UPPER SOLUTION RECEIVINGCHAMBER AND A LOWER SOLUTION APPLICATION CHAMBER, SAID PARTITION HAVINGACROSS IT ENTIRE LENGTH A FLOW OF SOLUTION DISTRIBUTION HOLES; A SUPPLYPIPE FOR SUPPLYING SOLUTION TO SAID SOLUTION RECEIVING CHAMBER; OVERFLOWPIPES FOR REMOVING SOLUTION FROM SAID SOLUTION DISTRIBUTION AND SOLUTIONAPPLICATION CHAMBERS; AN ELONGATED NARROW SLIT LOCATED IN SAID LOWERBODY PORTION AT THE SLIDE SURFACE THEREOF AND EXTENDING ACROSS THELENGTH OF SAID BODY SO AS TO CONTACT SAID WORKPIECE AND SO AS TO PLACESAID LIQUID IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID WORKPIECE; GUIDE ROLLER MEANSABOVE SAID APPLICATION STATION TO GUIDE THE WORKPIECE AROUND SAID SLIDESURFACE IN SLIDING CONTACT THEREWITH; PAY-OFF AND TAKE-UP MEANS FOR SAIDWORKPIECE; AND SQUEEZE ROLLERS ALONG THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF SAIDWORKPIECE PAST SAID APPLICATION STATION DISPOSED TO SPREAD OUT THELIQUID EVENLY OVER SAID WORKPIECE.